Cleveland Cavaliers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kevin Love Doesn't Expect To Be Moved

February 5th, 2020 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Few NBA players have been mentioned more frequently in trade rumors this season than Kevin Love. However, with the Cavaliers and potential trade partners not seeing eye-to-eye on Love’s value, there appears to be no movement on a potential deal, with just over 24 hours left before Thursday’s deadline. For his part, Love sounds fully prepared to remain in Cleveland through the deadline.

“I don’t think anything is going to happen,” the Cavaliers’ power forward said, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “I really don’t, but we’ll see.”

As Fedor explains, sources have insisted for weeks that a Love trade is unlikely because the Cavaliers are unwilling to treat a deal as a salary dump. They view Love as a valuable trade chip and would balk at attaching a draft pick to him, while possible suitors believe they’d be doing Cleveland a favor by taking on the 31-year-old’s pricey long-term contract. That gap seems unlikely to be bridged by Thursday afternoon.

Trade Rumors: Holiday, Clippers, Thompson, Celtics

February 5th, 2020 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

A report last week suggested that Jrue Holiday is happy with the Pelicans, who won’t move him unless they’re blown away by an offer. That’s still the case, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who tweets that New Orleans remains content to hang onto Holiday through Thursday’s trade deadline.

Teams like the Nuggets and Heat have been linked to Holiday, and there are plenty of other contenders who would surely have interest in the former All-Star guard if New Orleans were shopping him. However, according to Wojnarowski, the kind of “overwhelming offer” it would take to change the Pelicans’ mind hasn’t materialized.

Here are a few more trade rumors and notes from around the NBA:

The Clippers don’t currently have any traction on any deals involving Maurice Harkless, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, who points to Marcus Morris (Knicks), Thaddeus Young (Bulls), and Andre Iguodala (Grizzlies) as some of the targets the team has considered.
The Cavaliers don’t want to trade Tristan Thompson “just to move him,” and continue to seek a first-round pick for the big man, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. According to Fedor – in a separate article – Cleveland still has interest in re-signing Thompson this summer if he stays put, but would be hesitant to award him another contract in the range of his current one (five years, $82MM).
According to David Aldridge of The Athletic (Twitter link), sources maintain that the Wizards‘ interest in acquiring Thompson from the Cavaliers isn’t particularly strong. As Aldridge observes, re-signing both Thompson and Davis Bertans in the offseason might be tricky for a team with two max players in its backcourt.
The Celtics still aren’t expected to do anything major at the deadline, according to Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald, who says a move to add a veteran who can provide offense off the bench is more likely than a deal to upgrade the center position.

Trade Rumors: Clippers, Herro, LaVine, Poeltl, More

February 4th, 2020 at 5:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Chris Mannix of SI.com is among the latest reporters to weigh in this week on the Clippers‘ search for a center. According to Mannix, Los Angeles’ coaching staff has some concerns about the team’s rebounding. We heard on Monday that the Clips are also wary of facing star centers like Rudy Gobert or Nikola Jokic in the postseason.

Sources tell Mannix that there’s some interest within the Clippers’ front office in Tristan Thompson, whom the Cavaliers have put on the trade block. Mannix also names disgruntled Kings big man Dewayne Dedmon as a possible target, though he cautions that Dedmon wouldn’t be a preferred option for L.A.

The Clippers have Maurice Harkless‘ $11MM+ expiring contract available to use as a salary-matching piece for a trade target earning an eight-figure salary, but the team will have to be careful about how it fires that bullet. Acquiring a pricey center like Thompson or Dedmon using Harkless’ deal could take the team out of the market for a wing in the same salary range, such as Marcus Morris or Robert Covington.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

The Heat have told teams that Tyler Herro is unavailable at this time, according to Mannix. If Miami wants to do something major, Herro would likely be the first player a potential trade partner asks about, but the Heat have no interest in moving him.
The Bulls have received some trade feelers for Zach LaVine, but a source tells Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) that the 24-year-old is “off-limits.” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Zach Lowe said essentially the same thing on a podcast this week.
Teams are calling the Spurs to ask about Jakob Poeltl, but the asking price is believed to be too high, tweets Jabari Young of CNBC. Poeltl will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, so it’s possible San Antonio will lower its price by Thursday if the big man isn’t in the team’s long-term plans.
Nuggets power forward Juan Hernangomez is among the players of interest for the Rockets, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Denver is reportedly seeking a second-round pick for Hernangomez.

Tristan Thompson Reportedly Prefers To Be Traded

February 4th, 2020 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Tristan Thompson‘s camp would like to see him moved by this Thursday’s deadline, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, who says people close to the Cavaliers center are calling a trade a “priority.”

The news comes a little over 24 hours after word broke that the Cavaliers had put Thompson on the trade block. At the time, I noted that there had been rumblings earlier in the season about the team wanting to extend Thompson, with reports suggesting the big man was open to the idea. Cleveland’s newfound willingness to move him seemed to signal that the 28-year-old may no longer reciprocate that interest in an extension.

As Vardon explains, Thompson’s Bird rights would move with him in any trade, which is one reason why his camp may be pushing for a deal. Most of the teams that project to have cap room this summer are rebuilding clubs. So if Thompson wants a chance to sign with a contender for more than the mid-level, his best chance to do so may be joining that team now, then signing a new contract in the summer using those Bird rights.

Thompson’s $18.5MM cap hit will be tricky for some teams to match, but he’s having a strong season with unrestricted free agency around the corner, averaging career-best marks in PPG (11.9), RPG (10.4), and APG (2.1) in 48 games (31.0 MPG).

The Wizards are among the teams said to have expressed interest in Thompson. Sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that the Cavs want a first-round pick in exchange for the veteran center. If that offer doesn’t materialize, it’s not clear whether the team will be open to taking the best offer available or if it would prefer to hang onto Thompson through the deadline.

Trade Rumors: Wolves, Wizards, Kennard, Valentine, Burks, More

February 4th, 2020 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves forward Robert Covington has been one of the most-discussed trade candidates leading up to this year’s deadline, and looks like one of the likeliest players to be on the move. While star teammate Karl-Anthony Towns will understand if Covington is dealt, he admitted in a conversation with Sam Amick of The Athletic and Chris Hine of The Star Tribune that he’s not thrilled by the idea.

“I think it’s very obvious he’s my best friend on the team, so it would be very difficult if something like that was going to happen,” Towns said of Covington. “But like with Zach LaVine (traded from the Timberwolves to Chicago in 2017) , you know this is a business. So like I said, I’m the one who just plays the game. I don’t get paid to make rosters and stuff like that.”

As Amick and Hine note, Towns said it’s not his job to make roster decisions and expressed confidence in Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas to make those calls. Still, given how aggressively the front office has pursued D’Angelo Russell, one of Towns’ best friends, it’ll be interesting to see if the team is willing to part with Covington – another one of KAT’s good friends – if there’s no guarantee that doing so will land D-Lo in Minnesota.

“I don’t get paid to make those decisions,” the Timberwolves’ franchise player said. “Those are tough decisions, but here’s to hoping that I see Cov on Friday, I guess. … He’s a great guy, a great dude. He’s a great player. He’s helped me tremendously and he’s continuing to help me every day. He just gives me such comfort out there.”

Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA:

As first referenced by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Wizards have expressed interest in Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson, confirms Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (via Twitter). If the Wizards were to make a move for Thompson, it would be with an eye toward the future, since they’d hold his Bird rights, Buckner notes.
Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press confirms that that the Pistons are open to moving Luke Kennard if the price is right. However, in the wake of rumors that the Suns are discussing a trade for the third-year sharpshooter, Ellis reports that no deal appears imminent and that Detroit isn’t worried about the possible price tag on a Kennard extension if he remains with the Pistons.
Two rival executives view the Sixers and Grizzlies as possible landing spots for Bulls trade candidate Denzel Valentine, according to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
The Mavericks have real interest in Warriors guard Alec Burks, a source tells Chris Crouse of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link). Dallas and Golden State have already made one trade this season, with Willie Cauley-Stein sent to the Mavs last month.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski takes a look at the trade talks involving the Timberwolves, Warriors, Rockets, and Hawks, with the Wolves trying to orchestrate a multi-team deal that would send D’Angelo Russell to Minnesota. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer had details earlier on those discussions, with both Woj and O’Connor agreeing that there’s still a gulf between Minnesota and Golden State.

Trade Rumors: Covington, Randle, Henson, Celtics

February 3rd, 2020 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers are among the teams pursuing Timberwolves forward Robert Covington, Sean Deveney of Heavy.com reports. A package of their first-round pick this year, forward Maurice Harkless, and a young player such as Jerome Robinson or Terance Mann could be enough to secure Covington, Deveney continues. Grizzlies forward Andre Iguodala, Suns center Aron Baynes and Magic guard D.J. Augustin are among the other potential targets for the Clippers, Deveney adds.

We have more trade chatter:

The Knicks have engaged in trade talks with the Hornets involving forward Julius Randle, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer tweets. Charlotte would be a surprising landing spot for Randle, who has a guaranteed $18.9MM salary for next season. However, the Hornets have three frontcourt players with large expiring contracts and will need reinforcements.
The Knicks had talks with the Cavaliers which included center John Henson but those discussions have died down, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. Henson has an expiring $9.7MM contract.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge would like to strengthen the team’s bench but doesn’t see the center position as a major weakness, Jacob Camenker of NBC Sports Boston relays. The Celtics are reportedly one of the teams interested in acquiring Rockets center Clint Capela. Ainge indicated the roster “probably too many really young guys” but claimed he’s content with Daniel Theis, Enes Kanter, and Robert Williams manning the middle. “We’re not getting beat at the center position,” Ainge said. “We’re getting 17, 18 points per night. We’re getting double-figure rebounds. We’re just doing it as a team.”

Charania’s Latest: Kuzma, Love, Russell, Covington, Rose, Drummond

February 3rd, 2020 at 9:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

While forward Kyle Kuzma has been mentioned prominently in trade rumors, the Lakers are reluctant to make a deal that would negatively impact their team chemistry, The Athletic’s Shams Charania told Alex Kennedy on a HoopsHype podcast (Twitter link). The Lakers would only consider moving the offensive-skilled power forward if they received a “high-end rotation player” in return. “Those guys really get along on and off the floor,” Charania said.

The Athletic’s top NBA writer also commented on a number of other players on the trade market:

It’s unlikely the Cavaliers will be able to find a taker for Kevin Love and his big multi-year contract. “I don’t see a logical landing spot,” he said.
The Knicks are willing to give up their 2018 first-round pick, forward Kevin Knox, as part of a package for the Warriors’ D’Angelo Russell. However, that doesn’t hold much appeal to the Warriors. Golden State, as Charania reported earlier, is seeking multiple unprotected first-round picks for Russell. The Timberwolves looking to acquire first-round picks for forward Robert Covington, which it would then flip in a Russell deal.
The Rockets, Bucks and Mavericks are among the suitors for Covington, with Houston showing “a lot of interest.”
The Pistons are seeking a great asset — a quality first-round pick — for Derrick Rose. But Rose, who missed Monday’s game at Memphis with an adductor strain, doesn’t want to be dealt. “He wants to be in Detroit,” Charania said. “Derrick feels at home and Detroit has embraced him with open arms.”
The market for the Pistons’ Andre Drummond is “stagnant.” Drummond’s high salary and ability to opt out in the summer makes it difficult to find a suitable trade, Charania notes.

Wizards Considering Buying At Deadline?

February 3rd, 2020 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s a chance that the Wizards could emerge as an under-the-radar buyer at this season’s trade deadline, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said today on The Lowe Post podcast with Zach Lowe.

Although the Wizards’ record is just 17-31, they’re only 3.5 games removed from the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The 21-27 Nets and 21-28 Magic aren’t exactly running away with the final two playoff spots, and only one team (the 19-33 Bulls) currently sits between Washington and those seventh and eighth seeds.

Besides the fact that the Wizards can still talk themselves into a playoff chase, they also may be tempted to make a move for Bradley Beal‘s sake. As Windhorst notes, Beal has expressed some frustration lately, first with the Wizards’ “culture” and then with an All-Star snub that could be attributed in large part to Washington’s losing record.

Although Beal signed an extension with the Wizards last offseason, that wasn’t a long-term deal. He can still reach free agency in 2022, and could make things difficult for the franchise before then if he expresses discontent with his situation. It’s safe to assume Beal would rather push for the postseason than see the front office sell off productive veterans like Davis Bertans and bottom out.

Even if the Wizards do look for an upgrade at the deadline, they seem unlikely to do anything drastic, such as giving up a first-round pick. Windhorst points to Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson, who is reportedly on the trade block, as one possible target for the team. If Cleveland is willing to let Thompson go for Ian Mahinmi‘s expiring contract and a second-round pick, perhaps the Wizards would be motivated to make a move, but the Cavs will probably be aiming higher for their longest-tenured player.

Woj’s Latest: Love, Bucks, Lakers, Clippers, More

February 3rd, 2020 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN insiders Adrian Wojnarowski and Bobby Marks published a pair of podcasts on Sunday examining each of the NBA’s two conferences, breaking down trade possibilities and scenarios for a number of teams.

The two podcasts, which are worth listening to in full, included several interesting notes and tidbits on the trade market, so we’ll pass along several of the highlights right here:

Eastern Conference (full podcast link):

The Cavaliers are resigned to the fact that they likely won’t end up moving Kevin Love by Thursday, per Wojnarowski. Unless something “comes out of nowhere,” Cleveland may end up having to revisit Love’s trade market in the offseason, Woj adds.
Based on how well they’ve played this season, the Bucks will be somewhat “risk-averse” at the deadline, according to Wojnarowski. Although Milwaukee may make a move, the buyout market could be a safer bet for an upgrade around the edges of their roster. For what it’s worth, ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggested today that, given their crowded rotation, the Bucks could use Indiana’s 2020 first-round pick to make “some sort of consolidation trade” if they don’t think it’d disrupt their chemistry.
Wojnarowski is hearing the same thing that Lowe is about Hawks center John Collins — teams have been monitoring him, and Atlanta is in the market a for a center, but it would be a surprise if the club trades Collins at this point.
If the Pistons can get a first-round pick for Andre Drummond, they seem likely pull the trigger. If not, they may have to decide whether it’s worth it to accept expiring contracts and a second-rounder or two, says Wojnarowski.
The Nets are active in trade talks and could make a deal as long as it makes sense for next year’s team, according to Woj and Marks. For what it’s worth, while sources told Lowe that Brooklyn won’t trade players such as Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, or Jarrett Allen for draft picks, Lowe wonders if the Nets will eventually consider a move involving a player like Dinwiddie and LeVert, since the team’s backcourt hasn’t fully meshed when everyone has been healthy this year.

Western Conference (full podcast link):

While the Lakers and Clippers may be active on the trade market, they may not be feeling tremendous pressure to do anything, since they’re expected to be the top two choices for many players on the buyout market, Wojnarowski points out.
Andre Iguodala, for instance, would almost certainly gravitate toward either the Lakers or Clippers if he’s bought out, per Wojnarowski. However, as we’ve heard all season, the Grizzlies remain firm on finding a trade and avoiding a buyout for the former Finals MVP.
Speaking of Iguodala, Wojnarowski says the Rockets tried for “months” to find a way to acquire him, exploring a number of multi-team possibilities. They’ve backed off that pursuit after not finding any viable scenarios
Woj and Marks agree that there’s no pressure on the Thunder to move any of their veteran trade candidates. Lowe made a similar point today, writing that it could make sense to stand pat with guys like Danilo Gallinari, Dennis Schroder, and Steven Adams, who could be traded (or signed-and-traded, in Gallinari’s case) in the summer.

Cavaliers Make Tristan Thompson Available

February 3rd, 2020 at 10:26am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers have made veteran center Tristan Thompson available in trade talks, with the February 6 deadline around the corner, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

Thompson has been viewed as a possible trade candidate for most of the season, given his expiring contract and Cleveland’s place near the bottom of the NBA’s standings. However, fellow veteran big man Kevin Love has been the more frequent subject of trade rumors, while other vets on expiring contracts – such as Brandon Knight, John Henson, and Matthew Dellavedova – have been considered more expendable.

There were rumblings earlier in the season that the Cavs may prefer to hang onto Thompson and extend him beyond the season. Haynes’ report today doesn’t necessarily mean that desire has waned — it could still be something the two sides explore if no trade materializes this week.

Cleveland’s renewed interest in gauging the trade market for Thompson could also signal that the team is unsure about the 28-year-old’s interest in a long-term deal. A December report indicated that agent Rich Paul would likely prefer to see his client reach free agency.

The Cavaliers are in “asset accumulation mode,” sources tell Haynes, who suggests that Thompson could be an ideal acquisition for a contending team looking for a defensive and rebounding presence to bolster its frontcourt.

Thompson’s $18.5MM cap hit could be tricky for some teams to match, but he’s having a strong season with unrestricted free agency around the corner, averaging career-best marks in PPG (11.9), RPG (10.4), and APG (2.1).